Good Samaritans to be honored March 3,

Wednesday

Feb 22, 2012 at 9:55 AM

Special to The Record

Five who have given of themselves to the betterment of the community will be saluted March 3, when Catholic Charities hosts its 18th Annual Good Samaritan Awards Dinner. Setting will be the Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village.Each year the Good Samaritan awards are presented to members of the community who best exemplify the spirit of the biblical Good Samaritan in their everyday lives. These individuals are described as having given unselfishly of themselves in order to help those around them, doing so quietly, without any expectation of reward or recognition. Their humble efforts serve as an important reminder of the difference one person can make, according to organizers of the event. The festivities begin at 6 p.m. with a reception, silent auction and cash bar, followed by dinner, live auction and awards presentation at 7 p.m. Included in the live auction will be a one-year full membership to the Serenata Beach Club and several golf packages. Tickets to attend the dinner are $80 per person and can be obtained by calling Michele Blevins, development director, at 829-6300. Tickets must be purchased in advance. All proceeds from the event go directly to support the programs of Catholic Charities St. Augustine Regional Office, which provides its services to all people regardless of religious affiliation, gender, race or ethnic origin. Recipients of the Good Samaritan Award for 2012 are: Ida Buckler, St. Anastasia Parish; Michael A. Davis, Home Again St. Johns; Brett and Remy DeVoe, Farm Workers Ministry; and Lena Lednick, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish. * Ida Buckler: Ida Buckler remembers being taught from a very young age that "idle hands are the devil's workshop." Now at the tender age of 86, her daily life demonstrates that she has always endeavored to avoid being idle and instead keeps so busy that she often exhibits more energy than folks half her age. "Whenever there is a need or a job to be done," says a friend, "Ida is always there with a helping hand, full of energy and smiles, bringing joy and blessings to everyone around her." Originally from Louisville, Ky., Buckler and her family moved to Jacksonville in 1974 when she was transferred by her employer, Pitney Bowes, where she worked for 25 years. She and her two daughters frequently visited St. Augustine, and in 1982 Ida began living here full-time. She began attending St. Anastasia Parish in 1984, where she has volunteered over the years in many different capacities.Buckler has twice served as president of the St. Anastasia Ladies Association. She frequently helps with organizing funeral breakfasts for families and friends of deceased parishioners. She also visits members of the parish who are homebound, sick or lonely, bringing them a home-cooked meal and doing whatever she can to brighten their days. Buckler's true compassion for people is evident in everything she does, according to those who nominated her. Believing that no one should spend the holidays alone, each year for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner Buckler opens her home to those with no family or nowhere to go. "I love to cook!" she says, "and I figure the more, the merrier, so it makes me happy." She never knows quite how many will show up, but makes sure that she prepares enough food for all. Her close friends describe her as a true disciple of Christ. "She lives out her faith each and every day, 24/7," says a friend. "The Lord has blessed me with good health," Ida says, "and I'm just happy to help however I can."

* Brett and Remy DeVoe: For more than 20 years, Brett and Remy DeVoe have been actively volunteering with the Farm Workers Ministry. Several times during the year, Brett and Remy collect food and clothing and deliver it to the farm workers' communities in Crescent City and Green Cove Springs. Each year at Christmas, they deliver toys to the farm workers' children, which Remy especially enjoys. "There is nothing like seeing the children's faces light up when they see their toys," Remy says. "Seeing the joy that it brings them, it's a feeling I can't even describe."Married in the Philippines in 1969, the couple immediately moved to Jacksonville, where Brett had spent most of his life. After raising four children and retiring from their jobs, Brett and Remy moved to St. Augustine in 2006 and became members of Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) Parish, where they say they were immediately drawn in by the family-type atmosphere. "The whole parish is so supportive in helping us help the farm workers," says Brett. "They are so generous in donating the food, clothing and toys; they make it possible for us to do what we do." Farm Workers Ministry isn't the only thing that keeps the DeVoes busy. Brett is a member of the OLGC Men's Club, the head of the parish's clean-up crew, has chaired their Harvest Festival for the past two years, and maintains the church's sound system. Friends playfully call him the "in-house DJ" at the parish, as he owns his own DJ business and frequently DJ's at parish events.Remy is a member of the OLGC Women's Guild and Choir. She uses her love for sewing and embroidery as a member of the Cathedral-Basilica's Vestment Guild. Both are eucharistic ministers at the church and visit the VA nursing home regularly to administer Holy Communion to its residents. "Brett and Remy are very hard-working, very devoted people of faith," says a friend. "They are a blessing to everyone around them."

Lena Lednick: Lena Lednick's life of service can be traced back to her formative years and her Catholic school education. While in high school in New Orleans she volunteered at the Little Sisters of the Poor's Home for the Elderly, a place that Lena says became like a second home to her. She considered entering the convent, but enlisted in the Navy instead as she says she thought she needed to learn more about the world. While in the Navy, she served as a hospital corpsman and a physical therapy tech. More importantly, she says, the Navy is where she met her best friend and beloved husband, Charles. They married in 1962 and raised three children while Charles' naval career took them overseas, including seven years in Italy and Greece, and finally to Jacksonville. Lena and Charles moved to St. Augustine in 1985 and began attending a small wooden church called Our Lady of Good Counsel. Lena says that the congregation welcomed them with open arms and to this day she strives to make other new families in the parish feel welcome and loved as well. Over the years Lena has helped decorate the church at the holidays and delivered Holy Communion to homebound parishioners. Lena is currently a eucharistic minister, a lector and a sacristan and she also makes baptismal stoles and has taught children's catechism. Lena's generous nature is not limited to church activities. She says one of her favorite things to do is to help someone when they least expect it, like paying for a meal for a stranger who didn't have enough money. Lena's generosity towards others, according to friends, is outshadowed only by her humble heart. "Lena is one of the most Christian people I've ever known," says a friend, "and she touches so many lives around her." According to Lena, her philosophy is simple: "I want to leave this world with the hope that those I have helped when they were in need will go on and do the same for someone else."

Michael A. Davis: Mike Davis has been involved with Home Again St. Johns - a local advocacy group working to reduce homelessness in St. Johns County - since its inception four years ago. In 2010, St. Augustine Mayor Joe Boles asked Davis to officially take on the leadership role of chair of the organization. Since that time, Davis has played a key role in pulling together support for Home Again St. Johns from leaders in city and county government, law enforcement, homeless advocates, service providers, civic groups, faith-based groups and area businesses. "Mike has been blessed with a demeanor to allow him to lead and make others want to follow," says a longtime friend and colleague. "He truly cares about people, and he is all about making life better for those around him."Davis has been the catalyst in several key initiatives put in place by Home Again St. Johns, including a community feeding program providing a daily hot meal for the homeless in downtown St. Augustine, the creation of a comprehensive brochure listing available homeless resources, and developing a site selection committee that just recently announced the location for a one-stop center that will provide transitional housing and address all the needs of the homeless in the community.Davis is the third generation of his family to lead A.D. Davis Construction, where he has served as president since 2002. When he is not working, he devotes his time to his family - wife Darcy and their four children. He has proudly coached all of his children in basketball at both Cathedral Parish School and St. Joseph Academy. His dedication to helping others and building community reaches beyond his work with Home Again St. Johns. Over the years, he has been actively involved in such local organizations as the Rotary Club of St. Augustine, the Association of Retarded Citizens (ARC), the YMCA and the Flagler Hospital Foundation. "I believe in giving back," says Davis, "to a community that gave so much to me when I was growing up."

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